The trend of negotiated democracy in the process of nominating aspirants for various political seats among pastoralist communities has gathered momentum in Isiolo County, with the Somali Community, through their powerful Council of elders denouncing the incumbent deputy governor Mohamed Gulleid and endorsing a new entrant, Dr Abdi Ibrahim Isaac to replace him as the community moves to build alliances with other Isiolo communities ahead of the coming general elections.
Speaking in Isiolo after making the announcement and presenting the nomination certificate to the apparent Gulleid’s successor, Somali Council of elders’ chairperson Mohamed Ismail said that the elders had unanimously decided to endorse Dr Abdi to represent the community interests, citing failure by the incumbent to meet their expectations after they offered him the opportunity over four years ago.
He said that the community was yet to settle on the suitable gubernatorial candidate (from other communities) to run for the top county seat with Dr Abdi as a running mate. During the previous 2013 general elections, the Somali community fronted Mr Mohamed Gulleid as the running mate to Godana Doyo from the Borana community in what emerged as the winning line up.
However, Mr Ismail said that the elders would soon make an announcement on the candidate they will team up with this time round after considering all the five gubernatorial candidates. They include the incumbent Godana Doyo, Senator Mohamed Kuti, Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority Chairman Abdul Bahari, Nairobi based businessman Hussein Golicha and Mr Adan Kabelo from the NGO World.
In his acceptance speech, the community nominee Dr Abdi Ibrahim thanked the community for believing in him, adding that he was ready to work with any gubernatorial candidate who would receive the blessings from Somali elders.
The new entrant, who has been working in the United Kingdom for the last 22 years as a medical doctor promised to streamline the health sector by taking quality healthcare services closer to the people in the vast county if his bid becomes successful.
The elders made it clear that the Somali community was gunning for two positions in the County, the deputy governor’s post and Isiolo North Constituency Parliamentary seat. Other communities that will enter into an alliance with them will therefore have to settle for the remaining elective posts.